Thursday, 17 November 2016

A new great blog tour premieres today at My Jane Austen Book Club. Joana Starnes is here to present her latest Pride and Prejudice tale: Mr Bennet's Dutiful Daughter. Enjoy her wondeful guest post and... may I wish you good luck in the giveaway contest?

Thank you, Maria Grazia, for your kind
welcome at My Jane Austen Book Club today to launch the blog tour for my
latest book, Mr Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter, with an invitation to
Netherfield.

Why Netherfield, we might ask? Why
would Mr and Mrs Darcy invite their guests to Netherfield Park, rather than
Pemberley or the Darcy townhouse? That is because in this variation they begin
their married life at Netherfield, and much sooner than in the original novel.
As the title might suggest, Mr Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter is an
early-marriage scenario. Elizabeth accepts Mr Darcy’s first proposal on account
of her father’s condition. While she is visiting in Kent an express arrives to
let her know that her father had suffered an attack. She learns of this not
from the express itself, but from Mr Darcy, who was notified in irregular
circumstances and rides out in great haste to find Elizabeth on her stroll
through Rosings’ woods with Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Have you ever wondered if Elizabeth would
have been as violently opposed to Mr Darcy had she not learned of his role in
ruining her sister’s happiness? I am inclined to think that this knowledge was the
deal-breaker in the Hunsford proposal and it carried far more weight than
Darcy’s arrogance and Wickham’s malice. She would have still refused him, of
course. Elizabeth Bennet would not accept a man who speaks of their union as a
degradation in the midst of his proposal. But what if Mr Darcy came to propose
before his cousin had the chance to make damaging disclosures? What if he
offered marriage without offending her, at a time when she felt obliged to
ensure her family’s safety, should her father pass away? What if the Hunsford
proposal was something like this?

“Collins burst upon my aunt at
breakfast. He read your express and hastened to come up to ask for leave of
absence without even troubling himself to find and notify you first. I had no
notion till this morning that Longbourn was entailed upon him, nor how devoid
of Christian charity he is. This vile excuse of a man of the cloth would cast
you into the hedgerows as soon as he has the chance, the unmitigated– ” The
forceful rant broke off and the gentleman drew the deepest breath before
resuming, just as forcefully. “I will not have it, Elizabeth! To the best of my
abilities, I will not have it.”

The shock caused by the display of
temper in a man of such cool and uniform reserve greatly surpassed that of the
declaration and of hearing herself addressed by her Christian name. Before she
could collect herself enough to request clarification, Mr Darcy spoke again,
still prey to the greatest agitation.

“I know this is wretched timing, but it
must be said. I would have found a way of speaking to you this evening, were it
not for–… I should have spoken days, weeks ago. No matter!”

His right hand cut through the air as he
abruptly put an end to his second rant – more words than she had heard him
speak in hours. And then his hand found hers, as did the other, to clasp them
both between their chests, brought close again with one determined step.

A new great blog tour premieres today at My Jane Austen Book Club. I'm really glad to welcome back Joana Starne as

“For all the poor timing, you must allow
me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you, Elizabeth. Marry me. As soon
as it can be arranged. If we are wed before–… That is, if the worst should
happen…” He broke off again and released one of her hands to nervously run his
fingers through his hair. “Damnation! How can this be said? I hate giving you
pain in the midst of my proposal, but if we were to marry before you have to go
into mourning, then you would not be left unprotected for goodness knows how
long and I would have the right to keep Collins at bay. He might still stake
his claims as soon as he could, the wretched scoundrel, but you would not be at
the mercy of strangers before I am allowed to ensure your welfare. Can you see
my meaning and not judge me for importuning you at such a trying time?” (Mr Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter – Chapter 1)

The premise of my latest Pride
and Prejudice variation is that out of duty to her family, Elizabeth
accepts him. And, once the ever-resourceful Mr Darcy had procured the special
licence in record time, they are married in Longbourn Church. Thoughtful,
considerate and very much in love despite his overbearing manner, Mr Darcy asks
Mr Bingley to transfer the lease of Netherfield to him, and the newlyweds
settle there at first, so that Elizabeth could be near her father while his
condition is uncertain.

Pride and Prejudice 1995 - BBC photo

The wedding breakfast at the nearby
Red Lion was a blur as well. Smiles. Words, too many. Words of surprise, good
wishes – some genuine, others barely concealing envy. Plates of food brought to
her, which she could not touch. A small glass of wine she could not touch
either. And all the while, Mr Darcy’s gloved hand in the small of her back.
Protectively? Possessively? She could not tell which, but it was always there.

Still there when he bade adieu to the
small party gathered at the door to see them off. She weakly echoed some of his
words of thanks to their well-wishers and then she was escorted to the carriage
– handed in – more smiles, waves, and they were on their way. To Netherfield.
To start their married life there, together. (Mr Bennet’s
Dutiful Daughter – Chapter 6)

In some ways, I think this is to their
advantage. Netherfield is neutral ground and in surroundings comfortably
familiar to Elizabeth. She can begin to adjust to the changes in her life
without the added burden of scrutiny and coldness from new acquaintances and
new servants, as would have been the case at Pemberley or the Darcy townhouse.
They can start to learn how to live together without hurtful or mortifying
interference from his family or hers (well, not much of it anyway).

So please picture them at the
Netherfield of your choice.

There is not much I can tell you about
Netherfield 1995 (Edgcote Hall, near Banbury, in Oxfordshire). It is still a
private home, as it was at the time of the filming. All I know is that it lies
quiet and undisturbed in exquisitely peaceful countryside, far from traffic and
the madding crowd..

And now, over 20 years later, only
the die-hard fanatics still travel down the narrow track for a glimpse of its
tranquil beauty HERE.

By comparison, Netherfield 2005 is on a far
more beaten track. Known as Basildon Park in real life, Netherfield 2005 is a
National Trust property that has featured in many other period dramas over the
years, most recently in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Downton
Abbey.

Sometimes the life of a house is as full of
twists and turns as an angsty novel that follows a beleaguered heroine from
riches to rags and back again. Basildon Park in Berkshire has such an
adventurous history. An eminently Regency house, it was built in the late 1700s
for Sir Francis Sykes, an East India Company nabob. It changed hands many times
in the following centuries. One of its owners was another Sir Francis, a
gentleman with a fondness for gambling, who fought a duel over seducing an
officer’s wife, yet died not on the field of honour but of smallpox in Germany,
where he had fled to escape his creditors. In late Georgian times it was
purchased by a most successful businessman and Liberal MP, James Morrison, a
man of excellent taste and a discerning art collector who filled Basildon with
pictorial gems.

In the 20th century its fate was
not rosy at all. It was in turn purchased for development, used as an army
convalescent home in WWI and then requisitioned in WWII, when British and
American troops practised tank warfare in the grounds and completed training
for D-Day. Afterwards it was used as a base for officers in charge of prisoners
of war billeted in the huts in the woods, and then for housing the workers
constructing a nuclear research facility nearby. It might have sunk into
further and further decline after that, but fortunately for Basildon Park, it
was purchased and rescued by Lord and Lady Iliffe, who spent many years
lovingly bringing an all-but-wrecked shell back to its former beauty and glory.

To fans of Pride & Prejudice 2005,
Basildon Park is Netherfield, with its warm Bath stone glowing in the sunlight,
and the gravelled drive where Mr Darcy helped Lizzy into the carriage, then his
fingers clenched and unclenched into that adorable ‘O – M – G, I held herhand!’

There is the beautiful ballroom where they
danced as though alone in the world; the room where Lizzy was shown in when she
came to look after her sister; the octagon room, where Miss Bingley lorded over
everyone.

Pride and Prejudice 2005

In Mr Bennet’s Dutiful Daughter Miss
Bingley is nowhere near Netherfield when the newlyweds come to settle there,
and in their different ways both Mr and Mrs Darcy are rather pleased about it:

The sweeping stone staircase once
negotiated, they walked through the door still held open by the footman, into a
vast and empty entrance hall that compounded the general air of a house barely
readied for habitation. Even more so when the footman promptly left them with a
deep bow, his steps echoing ominously in the otherwise very silent hall. It had
been very different the last time Elizabeth had set foot in there in November
for the Netherfield ball. There had been bustle then, crowds of people, voices.
Countless voices mingling with strains of music. And just there, on that very
spot, Miss Bingley had stood in the receiving line alongside her equally
supercilious sister, to welcome their brother’s guests arriving for the ball.
The thought of Miss Bingley made Elizabeth burst into an ill-timed and very
nervous giggle. And since she was looking at anything in the room but him, she
failed to notice that her new husband’s fairly tense countenance lightened
considerably at the sound.

It was probably unseemly to share her
thoughts, but difficult not to, now that he had heard her giggling to herself
like a mad thing, Elizabeth mused, so she daringly owned, “I was thinking of
what Miss Bingley might say if she were here now.”

Poor Miss Bingley! Predictably, no
one wants her around, least of all Mr Darcy on his honeymoon. I hope you’ll
find the Darcys had a promising start. If you would like to see what happens
next, please leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle copy – the giveaway
is available internationally.

Many thanks again, Maria Grazia, for having
me as your guest today, it’s always such a pleasure to visit ‘My Jane Austen
Book Club’!

Joana Starnes

About the Book

When Colonel Fitzwilliam’s disclosures are interrupted by the
bearer of distressing news from Longbourn, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is compelled
to consider an offer she would have otherwise dismissed out of hand. An offer
of marriage from the all-too-proud Mr Darcy.

Yet how is she to live with a husband she hardly knows and does
not love? Would she be trapped in a marriage of convenience while events
conspire to divide them? Or would love grow as, day by day and hour after hour,
she learns to understand the man she married, before she loses his trust and
his heart?

About the Author

Joana Starnes lives
in the south of England with her family. A medical graduate, in more recent
years she has developed an unrelated but enduring fascination with Georgian
Britain in general and the works of Jane Austen in particular, as well as with
the remarkable and flamboyant set of people who have given the Regency Period
its charm and sparkle.

Joana Starnes is the author of:

* 'From This Day
Forward ~ The Darcys of Pemberley', a 'Pride & Prejudice' sequel* 'The Subsequent Proposal ~ A Tale of Pride,
Prejudice & Persuasion'* 'The Second Chance', a 'Pride & Prejudice'
~ 'Sense & Sensibility' variation* 'The Falmouth Connection', a 'Pride &
Prejudice' variation where Jane Austen's beloved characters are compelled to
leave their tame and reasonably peaceful lives in the south of England and
travel to the far reaches of Cornwall, into a world of deceit and peril, where
few - if any! - are what they seem to be...* 'The Unthinkable Triangle', a 'Pride &
Prejudice' variation that dwells on the most uncomfortable love-triangle of
them all. What if Mr. Darcy's rival for Miss Bennet's hand and heart is none
other than his dearest, closest friend? And how can they all find their
'happily-ever-after'?*'Miss Darcy's Companion' - a variation that
explores what might have happened if the warm-hearted Miss Elizabeth Bennet
were employed instead of the scheming Mrs Younge.

So glad you think so, Charlotte! I do wonder if, in view of Mr Bennet's illness, Elizabeth would have accepted Darcy anyway, even if she knew he had persuaded Bingley to stay away. But maybe she would have accepted him with the firm intention of making his life a misery :)Thanks for reading the post and good luck in the giveaway!

Thanks, Sonja! Ever so glad you loved the post and the cover! Claudine Pepe from 'Just Jane 1813' has found the best Regency portrait that truly captures the essence of this book. I hope you'll like the story too. Good luck in the giveaway and thanks for taking part!

Hi. I'm not entering the giveaway as I've already read this amazing book. The blog post sets the scene very nicely and there's so much more to come. To the eventual winner, you're in for a real treat! To those not so fortunate, this is one book that totally needs to be on your Wish List.

Knowing that Joana is a willing participant in the 'let's make Elizabeth suffer' club,only adds to the sheer anticipation at the thought of having this book next on my TBR list. Was going to 'save' it for Christmas,but I dint think I can wait that long! Wishing you every success with this book,Joana! Looking forward to the inevitable highs and lows!

I should apologise for the missed sleep, ArmyGirl :) but I'm so glad that Mr B's Dutiful Daughter has piqued your interest. I hope you'll like it. Best of luck in the giveaway and thanks for taking part!

I'm so glad you liked the post, NovElla :) Those houses are so beautiful and they have such a fascinating history of their own. Hope you'll like the book. Many thanks for taking part in the giveaway and best of luck! Do check out the other blog tour posts, they come with giveaways too.

About Me

I've been an English teacher for a long time now and a blogger for more than 5 years. I love classic literature, reading, theatre, period drama, art and that is what I usually write about on FLY HIGH and My Jane Austen Book Club. I'd love to hear from you! Leave your comments to my posts or send e-mail messages to learnonline.mgs@gmail.com.